Anatomy of a Composition: Oh, Christmas Tree?!

I’m pretty traditional when it comes to my Christmas tree. I like the lights, and I really like snow! Over the years the settings have changed; a rural farmhouse of my grandparents in Southern Michigan, “Up North” nestled in the tall pines and birch, the suburban ranch of Denver where my sons were raised, and a few times here in the Rocky Mountains, but the scene of a pine tree aglow in the dark is one I’ve always enjoyed.

Without a lot of fuss or fanfare, and not sure about getting out to actually cut a tree, I started thinking about trying this shot a while ago. It is definitely a different result than I imagined, and it was honestly much harder to get exposure right than I’d imagined. Needless to say I was able to create a little Christmas moment out in the woods, in a what could best be described as “snow-globe” conditions?!

It was so much windier than I’d anticipated, and to find an adequately dark and snowy setting took a couple of attempts. Places I’d scouted out earlier were either too dry or too far off, and this spot is just remote enough and still easy to gain access to in the earlier parts of winter. I’d just need to gather up my lights, make sure I was very bundled up, and verify the the final scene. The winds were howling, which felt really good, and the Crescent moon was still visible through the wind-whipped snow along the peaks to the west. I definitely laughed to myself when I first tested the lights - this is arguably a scene I’ve been playing in my mind for years, and never thought I could pull it off.

Thanks to a couple of extension cords, a tripod, and this little Spruce growing amongst a clump of older trees, I was able to bring a little Christmas cheer to the middle of the forest.

Anatomy of a Composition - Oh, Christmas Tree?!

ISO 400 • F/1.4 • 1/2 sec. - single image @ 24mm